In Genesis 24 we read the account of the marriage between Issac and Rebekah. Abraham (Issac’s father) had sent his servants to the land of his fathers to find a wife for Issac. His servants went as Abraham instructed and prayed for something specific for the Lord to do, to show them which woman would become Issac’s wife. The Lord answered that prayer and Rebekah was shown to be that woman. After they all spoke with her family and received their blessing, Rebekah goes back with Abraham’s servants to meet Issac and become his wife. Later on, Issac is in the field meditating when he looks up and sees people approaching on camels. He starts walking towards them which leads Rebekah (who is on one of the camels) to ask, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” (Gen 24:65). One of the servants tells her that it’s his master, the one who will be her husband. It is at this point where “she took her veil and covered herself.” (Gen 24:65) Once she did this, “Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife…” (Gen 24:66)

Since this is an early Biblical record of a woman veiling herself, many wonder how this relates to Paul’s instructions about head covering in 1 Corinthians 11. Before we answer this question we must first review a fundamental principle of Biblical interpretation. Read more